The present invention relates to a device for testing the tension of a belt used for driving certain parts of an engine, e.g., of a toothed belt transmitting the rotation of a crankshaft to a camshaft of an internal combustion engine, the deflection of a free strand of the belt between two supporting points, which occurs if a known force is applied by a loading mechanism, serving as a measurement variable.
Proper adjustment of the tension of a driving belt is essential for the reliable operation of an engine comprising rotating elements which are coupled by such a belt, since both too low and too high a tension of the belt may damage the belt and the engine, and may cause functional failure of the engine. This is especially true for the tension of the toothed belt transmitting the rotation of the crankshaft to the camshaft of an internal combustion engine, which tension, if adjusted properly, will ensure the rigid coupling of the rotational movement of the crankshaft and the camshaft necessary for keeping the correct timing cycle.